Georges St.
Pierre retained his
Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight crown with a
controversial split decision over Johny
Hendricks in the
UFC 167 headliner on Nov. 16 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in
Las Vegas. Two of the three cageside judges -- Sal D’Amato and Tony
Weeks -- cast 48-47 scorecards for St. Pierre; a third, Glenn
Trowbridge, sided with Hendricks by the same score.

“Rush” has won his last 12 bouts, none more debated than this one.
Hendricks landed the heavier blows and exacted more of a physical
toll during the 25-minute encounter, his heavy hands leaving the
longtime champion battered, bloodied and bruised. “Bigg Rigg”
utilized brutal knee strikes to the thigh from the clinch, mixing
in takedowns at various points. Hendricks had St. Pierre in serious
trouble in the second round, as he staggered him with a left
uppercut and followed up with more powerful strikes to the
head.

St. Pierre -- who afterward revealed plans for something of a
temporary retirement -- did his best work in rounds three and five,
where he pecked away with his trademark jab and took down the
two-time NCAA national champion wrestler. Still, in the eyes of
many, it did not warrant a victory on the scorecards.